FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2017
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7
Outdoor Rec / Local
Skunk vs. cats and a 12-gauge
orange-and-
white tribe.
I opened the
door, stood
outside, and
shot once,
with the
scoped, bolt-
action .22
rifle, while
the skunk
was near the
food and wa-
ter bowls.
He took
THE OUTDOOR COLUMN
off, and I
shot twice
By Todd Arriola
more, since
Recently, I was once
the second
again reminded that winter shot didn’t stop him. By
is near, as smaller animals
this point, I realized he’d
showed up unannounced,
blessed the immediate area
taking food, harassing my
and other objects for some
cats, and testing my toler-
distance, with one of the
ance and patience, neither
most disgusting odors I’ve
of which is in infinite
been unlucky enough to
supply.
smell, spray from a skunk.
Over the course of
That smell comes to
several nights, I watched
mind as I sit writing this,
the cats’ food and water
and the only way I can
bowls, because I couldn’t
describe it is, that, well, it
figure out why the bowls
smells like spray from a
didn’t quite look right the
skunk.
next day.
That night, I didn’t pick
I finally caught sight of
the skunk up, because I
a skunk, but the first time
didn’t feel like dealing
I tried to get a .22 caliber
with it until the next day.
rifle and make it back to
The next day, my Brandi
shoot him, he ran away
picked the skunk up,
before I could complete
because she didn’t feel like
the task.
seeing and smelling it.
The next night, I had
When I arrived back
both a .22 rifle and a
home later that day, I real-
12-gauge shotgun, ready
ized I’d forgotten to pick
to bring to a halt the late
up the skunk that morning,
dinner buffets of the
which isn’t the best way
skunk, which he used as an to avoid being in the dog
excuse to rudely interrupt
house (luckily, we only
the peaceful lives of my
have a cat house, and it’s
not large).
I called a veterinarian,
and she suggested a great
solution to combat the
smell--vinegar. I found
a spray bottle around,
rinsed it out, and sprayed
everywhere and everything
where the skunk had been.
I didn’t smell the odor of
skunk after that, because
the area was so saturated
with vinegar, that I could
practically taste it.
Brandi, with enthusi-
astic concurrence from
four-year-old Airianna,
informed me that some
members of our furry little
family of misfits had ap-
parently caught some of
the skunk spray, so I also
asked the vet about that
particular situation. She
gave me another great
solution, which consists
of one quart of hydrogen
peroxide, one-quarter cup
of baking soda, and one
tablespoon of dish soap, all
used together to bathe the
stinky animals.
Since I value my skin,
and my first aid kit needs
more supplies, I opted to
skip trying to clean the
cats.
The next unwanted guest
to show up was a raccoon,
a non-native (to my abode,
anyway) who made him-
self right at home, harass-
ing and eating and drink-
ing whatever he pleased,
usually late at night,
which, like the skunk, was
expected.
Unlike the skunk, how-
ever, the raccoon prompted
me to consider using the
shotgun, which had in its
magazine loads, which
were usually meant to be
used as deterrents against
intruders of the two-legged
variety.
On the night I was finally
able to scare off the rac-
coon, I saw the patriarch of
my feline family, Harry, Jr,
standing on the cat house
on his toes, with his back
in an extreme shape of an
arch, and staring down at
something below him.
I saw the raccoon
through the window, and I
was pleased to see Mama
Red, Harry Jr.’s grand-
daughter, reaching out
to try to strike the rac-
coon with her claws. The
raccoon, with its eerily
human-like front paws,
easily deflected the strike,
but still, it was a proud
moment.
I grabbed the 12-gauge,
I chambered a shell, and I
opened the door.
The raccoon saw me,
and I shot above him (he
bolted right after that). I
had no light and no sight,
other than the small brass
bead on the front of the
shotgun, hardly suitable for
all scenarios (I mounted a
light later).
I haven’t noticed any ac-
tivity since I scared away
that raccoon, but I antici-
pate more harassment from
future visitors, including
skunks, raccoons, and bad-
gers, especially this close
to winter—but I’ll be ready
for them...
Wolf depredation confirmed up
Little Catherine Creek
Date Investigated:
10/9/17
General Area: Little
Catherine Creek - private
land
General situation and
animal information: A dead
calf, estimated 600-pound
steer, was found on
10/9/17 by a livestock pro-
ducer while flying to locate
cattle for roundup from a
large forested pasture.
Wolves were seen at the
site of the mostly con-
sumed carcass and ODFW
investigated the same day.
The calf was estimated
to have died early on
10/8/17.
Physical evidence of at-
tack by a predator:
Running cow tracks to
the place the calf died,
premortem hemorrhaging,
tissue trauma, bite scrapes
and punctures to the lower
right hind leg, left front el-
bow, chest, and neck were
present.
These are clear signs of
attack by a predator.
Evidence that the preda-
tor was a wolf: Trauma
to the back of one hind
and one front leg with
bite marks consistent with
wolf size and extensive
trauma to the neck with
corresponding punctures,
scrapes and marks and
consistent with wolves.
Evidence of wolf pres-
ence near the time of the
animal(s) death/injury:
Numerous wolf tracks
and scat at the location of
the carcass.
GPS collar location data
of OR24 (Catherine Pack)
at the location of the dead
calf near the time of death.
Recent wolf depredation
in the same or nearby area:
None
Cause of death/injury:
Confirmed Wolf/
Summary: There is suf-
ficient evidence to confirm
that the calf was attacked
by wolves based on the
premortem wounds in
wolf-attack locations,
and the size, number, and
severity of bite scrapes.
The death is confirmed
as caused by one or more
wolves of the Catherine
Pack.
Wolf depredation confirmed in
Wallowa’s Harl Butte area
Date Investigated:
10/11/2017
General Area:
Harl Butte area – public
land General situation and
animal information: On the
morning of 10/11/2017, an
ODFW employee found a
550 lb. dead calf in a large
rangeland pasture.
Wolf depredation was
suspected and the calf
carcass was examined the
same morning.
The calf was estimated to
have died earlier the same
morning. The carcass was
about 50% consumed with
all entrails, both hind-
quarters, and most of the
right front shoulder tissue
missing.
Physical evidence of
attack by a predator: The
remaining carcass was
skinned and examined.
Premortem bite marks
were found behind the left
ribs, between the shoul-
ders, the right brisket, and
under the jaw.
These bite marks were
associated with severe
hemorrhaging and muscle
tissue trauma, and are clear
evidence of a predator
attack.
Evidence that the preda-
tor was a wolf: The areas
of bite marks found on
the carcass measured up
to eight inches long, six
inches wide, and 1.5 inches
into the muscle tissue.
These combined with
the severe hemorrhage
and muscle tissue dam-
age found behind the ribs,
between the shoulders, and
under the jaw are similar
to other observed attack
injuries from wolves.
Evidence of wolf pres-
ence near the time of the
animal(s) death/injury:
OR50 of the Harl Butte
Pack was located by GPS
radio-collar data at the
location of the carcass at
6:00 a.m. on 10/11/2017.
Recent wolf depredation
in the same or nearby area:
There have been ten calf
depredations attributed
to the Harl Butte Pack
between 7/15/2016 and
10/01/2017. All depreda-
tions occurred within nine
miles of this site.
Cause of death/injury:
Confirmed Wolf.
Summary: The locations,
and size of the premortem
bite wounds are indicative
of wolf attack.
These combined with
the GPS radio-collar data
made proximal to the time
of death were adequate to
confirm this incident as a
depredation by a wolf or
wolves of the Harl Butte
Pack.
— NE Oregon Hunting Report —
BAKER DISTRICT (Sumpter, Keat-
ing, Pine Creek, Lookout Mt.)
Rifle Deer controlled season closes
Oct. 11. Baker Co. experienced an ex-
tremely severe winter with high deer
mortality. Tags were reduced earlier
in the year and hunters will encounter
fewer yearling bucks.
Cougars can be found throughout
Baker County but hunters should
target areas with high concentrations
of deer and elk. Setting up on a fresh
kill or using distress calls can all be
productive techniques. Hunters are
required to check in the hide of any
cougar taken, with skull and proof of
sex attached. Remember a 2017 cou-
gar tag and hunting license is needed
to hunt as of Jan. 1.
Coyote numbers are good through-
out the district. Try calling in early
morning and late afternoon.
UNION COUNTY
Black Bears are plentiful throughout
the county. Bears can be concentrat-
ed along creeks and rivers in the late
summer feeding on Hawthorn berries
and other fruits. This year’s bumper
berry crop should make for good early
season bear hunting in Union County.
Hunt in the early morning and eve-
nings for the best chance of seeing
bears. Bear skulls must be checked in
within ten days of harvest.
Cougars are common in Union
County. Focus on game rich areas
with long ridgelines or saddles that
cats typically travel. Setting up
downwind of a deer or elk killed
by a cougar can be productive.
Nonresident hunters can include a
cougar tag with others tags for only
$14.50. All cougars taken must be
checked in within 10 days of harvest;
call for an appointment before check
in. Remember a 2017 cougar tag and
hunting license is needed to hunt as
of Jan. 1.
Rifle Elk season opens to controlled
hunt tag holders on Oct. 25. Any bull
tag holders can expect to see good
prospects in all units with in Union
County. Spike hunters may encounter
fewer yearling bulls due to the tough
winter. Hunting conditions should be
good with cool evening temperatures
and snow at the higher elevations.
Hunters should carry chains for trucks
and trailers to ensure safe passage
along snowy mountain roads.
Prescribed burns
scheduled
The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest will begin
implementing its prescribed burning program following
wetting rains and milder weather this fall. Prescribed
fire managers are planning to implement hazardous fuel
reduction burns beginning at many project sites.
Prescribed fire is a major component of the Cohesive
Wildfire Strategy to meet the goals of restoring and
maintaining resilient landscapes and creating fire-adapted
communities. Prescribed burning is done to reduce dead
and down fuels, selectively thin understory trees in dense
forested stands, stimulate fire-tolerant plant species, en-
hance forage and browse, reduce the risk of large stand-
replacement fires, create strategic fuels breaks allowing
safe fire suppression activities in the urban interface, and
restore fire under controlled conditions as a disturbance
factor in these landscapes. Prescribed burns can range
from ten acres to thousands of acres in size. Prescribed
burns often are accomplished with combined resources of
local rural fire departments, contractors, Oregon Depart-
ment of Forestry, and other federal land-management
agencies.
Fire history studies have shown that fire was a dominant
natural process in the Blue Mountains, maintaining a
more open and park-like condition throughout the low- to
mid-elevation forests. Low-intensity surface-fires burned
throughout these drier forests and grasslands perpetuating
open, park-like stands of fire-tolerant tree species such as
ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, and larch.
Hazardous fuel reduction is not without impacts.
Smoke associated with prescribed burning is a major
concern and the hardest to forecast in the implementa-
tion planning process. Prescribed fire managers work
closely with the Oregon State Smoke Forecast Center in
accordance with the Oregon Smoke Management Plan
to determine when, where, and how much is burned on
a daily basis. Smoke dispersion models are used to look
at the volume of smoke, the direction of spread and the
mixing height prior to each burn. If a burn is forecasted to
produce smoke that will be a significant impact to a com-
munity or sensitive area, it is rescheduled until there is a
more favorable weather forecast.
Burning is part of the series of fuel reduction treat-
ments intended to decrease the damage done by wildfires,
including reducing the amount of smoke that typically
impacts communities during the fire season. The intent
is to keep smoke out of populated areas. Burning under
controlled conditions reduces surface and ladder fuels,
setting the stage to limit future high intensity unplanned
fires and the smoke that they would produce. Many areas
are burned on 10- to 15-year rotations to limit fuel accu-
mulations and enhance forage important to wildlife.
Wallowa-Whitman forest managers have been success-
fully conducting prescribed burning operations for fuel
reduction for over 20 years and plan to continue into the
foreseeable future. In the last five the forest has increased
prescribed burning by 20 percent. Twenty thousand acres
of hazardous fuels were treated last year.
Actual acres within a project area may vary due to fuel
conditions, smoke dispersion, wind patterns, and other
variables. Acres may be higher or lower in some project
areas than listed. Weather patterns, fuel conditions, and
smoke dispersion will determine exactly where and when
units are ignited within the project areas. It is anticipated
that not all areas will be within prescription and will not
be implemented this fall, while other project areas may
have additional acres within prescription that may be
implemented.
The Wallowa-Whitman plans to burn approximately
12,000 acres across the forest this fall, beginning as
early as late September. For more information about the
Wallowa-Whitman prescribed burning program, you may
contact Steve Hawkins at 541-523-1262, or visit the for-
est web site at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/Fire-Aviation
to view the fall 2017 burn unit maps.
Whitman Ranger District (WRD) – 541-523-4476
(Baker, Halfway, and Unity). The WRD plans to conduct
prescribed burning on 5,000 acres this fall:
• Foothills (200 acres) – 4 miles west of Baker City
,OR
• Deer (800 acres) – 1 mile northeast of Sumpter, OR
• Little Dean (700) acres – 7 miles southeast of
Sumpter, OR
• Mile 9 (500 acres) – 6 miles northwest of Unity, OR
• Pine Valley (600 acres) – 6 miles north/northwest of
Halfway, OR
• East Pine (600acres) – 6 miles north of Halfway, OR
• Barnard (1,000 acres) – 6 miles northwest of Half-
way, OR
• Greenhorn (250 acres) – 1 mile southeast of Green-
horn, OR
• Broman (1,500 acres) – 8 miles northwest of Unity,
OR
• Sparta (1,000 acres)- 15 miles northeast of Baker
City, OR
The Wallowa Fire Zone (WFZ) - 541-426-4978 (Wal-
lowa Valley Ranger District, Hells Canyon NRA and
Eagle Cap Ranger District). The WFZ plans to conduct
prescribed burning of up to 5,000 acres this fall:
• Muddy Sled (1,600 acres) – 15 miles north of Enter-
prise, OR
• Puderbaugh 504 (2,500 acres) – 25 miles southeast of
Joseph, OR
• B-Vine (1,000 acres) – 30 miles north/northeast of
Enterprise, OR
The Grande Ronde Fire Zone (GRFZ) – 541-963-7186
(La Grande Ranger District). The GRFZ plans to conduct
prescribed burning on up to 2,500 acres this fall, which
may include:
• Trail (1,000 acres) – 7 miles west of La Grande, OR
• Bird Track (1,000 acres) – 7 miles west of La Grande,
OR
•Sugar (500 acres) – 20 miles southeast of La Grande,
OR